What’s wrong with this picture?
The five largest public U.S. health insurance companies generated record profits in 2009, according to a new report from Health Care for America Now (HCAN).
The health care campaign organization said WellPoint, parent company of Anthem, and UnitedHealth, parent company of UnitedHealthcare, as well as Aetna, Humana and CIGNA Corp. had combined profits of $12.2 billion last year, up 56% from the prior year. Four of the five companies saw earnings increase, with Philadelphia, Pa.-based CIGNA’s profits increasing 356%, HCAN said.
Interesting, when many of my patients lost their jobs, one of their cars, or certainly much of their sleep over financial pressure.
“Big insurance made more money by insuring fewer people and by trying to get rid of the people who need health care the most,” said Richard Kirsch, national campaign manager of HCAN, in a statement.